A new bill passed by the Senate could add up to 4 million more children to a health insurance program. The House approved the bill earlier in the week, which increases spending on the State Children's Health Insurance Program from $5 billion to $12 billion every year for the next five years.

The legislation will likely set the stage for a veto fight with President Bush. The president and Republicans say the increase is too big and would expand the program beyond what it was designed for. The program was set up for families that make too much for Medicaid, but not enough to afford private insurance. The states decide on eligibility requirements and benefits. The president proposed a $5 billion increase.

The bill fell short of a two-thirds majority vote in the House needed to override a veto by the president. The program currently covers 6.6 million children and is set to expire next week.

If allowed to stand, the bill by the House would raise the federal excise tax on cigarettes by 61 cents a pack to help pay for the program. The program is backed by groups such as the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association.